Liverpool's hopes of signing Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic have been dented with the La Liga leaders now keen to hold on to the Croatia international, 29. (AS, via Talksport)

Newcastle are the favourites to sign Porto's 36-year-old former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas on a free transfer this summer. (Newcastle Chronicle)

Brighton, Crystal Palace and West Ham are all interested in Lille defender Ibrahim Amadou, 24, who is a former France youth international. (Le 10 Sport, via Croydon Advertiser)

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is ready to leave Anfield, with Napoli and Borussia Dortmund both considering moves for the 30-year-old. (La Derniere Heure - in French)

AC Milan are interested in signing Porto defender Ivan Marcano when the 30-year-old Spaniard's contract expires in the summer. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Sunderland's English defender Michael Ledger, 20, is set to sign a two-year deal with Norwegian side Notodden FK. (Sunderland Echo)

Stoke City's Austria defender Kevin Wimmer, 25, an £18m signing from Tottenham last August, has been placed on a fitness regime by manager Paul Lambert. Wimmer has not featured since Lambert was appointed manager on 16 January. (Daily Telegraph)

League One Charlton Athletic are to discipline three of their players who were captured on video using "offensive and unacceptable language" when discussing two of their team-mates. (Daily Mail)

Margate forward Jordan Chiedozie, 23, was sent off against Leiston for laughing at an opposition player falling over. (Kent Live)

Best of Wednesday's gossip

Manchester United are keen to sign Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure, but face competition for the 25-year-old French midfielder from Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal. (Mirror)

Former Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert is in talks with League One Oxford United about becoming the club's new manager. (Sun)

Liverpool are close to reaching an agreement with Monaco for 22-year-old France winger Thomas Lemar. (Le 10 Sport, via Metro)

Manchester United are the favourites to sign Juventus' France midfielder Blaise Matuidi, 30, this summer. (Star)

Watford, Liverpool, Arsenal and West Ham are all interested in Benfica's 23-year-old midfielder Bryan Cristante. However, the Italian is first expected to complete a move to Atalanta, where he is currently on loan. (Tuttosport, via Watford Observer)

Guardian Rumour Mill

Barry Glendenning

Following the disappointment of Wednesday night’s Champions League mugging at the hands of wily, streetwise Juventus, Tottenham fans will have to console themselves with the knowledge that Ryan Sessegnon wants to move to north London and play under Mauricio Pochettino.

The 17-year-old, who seems to have been a first-team staple at Craven Cottage for more than a decade, is understood to have decided that Mauricio Pochettino is the man is the man to take him to the next stage in his development if the Cottagers don’t achieve automatic promotion.Football transfer rumours: Abdoulaye Doucouré to Manchester United?Read more

Liverpool are hitching their skirts in the direction of the Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal, but will have a job on their hands to convince Los Blancos to sell them the 26-year-old who is contracted to stay at the Bernabéu until 2022. The Merseyside club are also interested in 19-year-old Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, who has noted their interest and is flattered. “I hear the rumours, like you. I have ears!” he said. “I have eyes too, to see a few things left and right. The guy who says he doesn’t hear stuff or listen to anything, is not telling the truth. But there’s nothing you can do. All of that doesn’t bother me.” That’s Houssem Aouar there, with both eyes and ears.

The long tradition of Liverpool’s finest players being poached by clubs in Spain could continue if Real Madrid have their way, with the Spanish side apparently giving Mohamed Salah the glad eye, The Egyptian goal-getter’s exploits have turned heads in the Spanish capital, which means Anfield regulars could face another anxious summer.

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, who is out of contract this summer and expected to head to Juventus, has spoken about his future while not really speaking about his future. “Of course, I have to think about my footballing future,” he said in the wake of Liverpool’s Champions League win over Porto. “I haven’t signed for any other club, I’m just focused on this season. We want to finish in second place in the Premier League, we’re in the Champions League quarter-finals and we want to progress. That’s all I’m focused on now. My agent has blocked all the negotiations, I’m thinking only of football.”

Juventus like the cut of the jib of the Manchester United winger Anthony Martial, who may be tempted by a move to Turin now that he’s no longer guaranteed a first team spot following the arrival at Old Trafford of Alexis Sánchez. And finally, the Leicester midfielder Riyad Mahrez is once again being linked with a summer move to Roma, with whom he is already believed to have agreed terms if reports in the Italian press are to be believed.

Transfer Tavern

Raid on Man United for £900k-rated man would solve all of West Ham’s midfield problems

The West Ham fans in the Transfer Tavern have consistently voiced their concerns regarding their club’s lack of options in central midfield throughout the current campaign, and they believe that the club should make the signing of a central midfielder something of a priority next summer.

David Moyes’ immediate goal this season concerns his side’s survival mission, but considering West Ham have a blatant shortage of midfield options, he should also be keeping a close eye on a handful of potential transfer targets to pursue next summer. Injuries to Edimilson Fernandes and Pedro Obiang have made life difficult for The Hammers, as their absence has left Moyes with only a handful of options to chose from in midfield.

With that being said, it seems certain that the club will sign at least one central midfielder in the summer, and one player they would be wise to consider is Manchester United’s emerging talent, namely Scott McTominay. McTominay (rated at £900k by Transfermarkt) was relatively unknown to supporters throughout the Premier League at the beginning of the season, but he has rapidly become a well-known figure in recent weeks.

Jose Mourinho has placed his faith in the academy product and handed him 3 starts in United’s last 4 Premier League matches. His inclusion has arrived as something of a surprise, but so far he has demonstrated a commendable level of composure considering the immense level of pressure that arrives as a result of playing for The Red Devils.

However, it seems unlikely that McTominay will enjoy the same level of opportunity in the future as United will almost certainly sign at least one central midfielder next summer to consolidate their options following the departure of Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick. When United do indeed bolster their central midfield options, Mourinho could be inclined to allow McTominay to move to West Ham on a season long-loan.

A loan move for McTominay would be mutually beneficial for all parties concerned; the 21-year-old needs experience in the Premier League, West Ham need to strengthen their midfield options, and Man United will need extra quality to challenge Manchester City for the title. Of course, a potential move depends on whether West Ham ensure their survival this season, but based on the assumption that they will avoid the drop, Moyes should bring McTominay to the London Stadium on loan this summer.

Football London

£30m midfielder "scouted" & contact for Italian goalkeeper

By Sam Inkersole

Whether David Moyes is planning for next season or not, there is still no shortage of players being linked with moves to West Ham in the off-season despite the uncertainty about who will be in charge.

Four defeats in the last six games for the Hammers have seen questions raised over whether Moyes is the right man for the job if he does keep the team in the Premier League. If the club does go down, the Scotsman is unlikely to stay.

Sitting just three points above the drop zone, these are nervy times and if West Ham, do stay up, the squad will no doubt need a whole lot of re-shaping and strengthening to avoid this scenario happening again.

As is usually the case with West Ham, players are being linked all the time despite the January window closing five weeks ago.

The latest rumours are below:

A former transfer target - and an infamous one at that - has reared its head once again as reports in Portugal are claiming that Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho has been "scouted" by the Hammers.

O Jogo (via Sport Witness) says that the Hammers had representatives at the Estadio do Dragao last Friday night to watch Carvalho and Sporting as they lost 2-1 to league leaders Porto in the weekend's big game.

There scouts from 20 other clubs across Europe watching the game along with West Ham according to the report as well so there could be some stern competition for signatures.

Sky Italia (via Claret & Hugh) have reported on Tuesday morning that West Ham are in the market for 17-year-old goalkeeper Marco Meneghetti.

The teenager is currently on the books of Serie C side Pordenone and their chief Mauro Lovisa has apparently told Sky Italia that West Ham have reached out to them via e-mail.

Italian giants Inter Milan are also reportedly keen on making a move for Pordenone's prized asset.